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More students are turning away from college and toward apprenticeships

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Re: More students are turning away from college and toward apprenticeships

#11

As someone who racked up nearly $80K in debt going to art school, I think they're making the right choice (mostly). In some cases it really makes sense to go to college, but it's a terrible model for many skills.

With there being a huge shortage in trades and other roles where they'll provide an apprenticeship, versus credential inflation and jobs requiring a bachelor's just for entry level positions, it makes sense to go where you're valued as a worker and be catered to instead of having your originated student loans extracted from you for simply a chance at a white collar job. https://www.newsweek.com/forget-college-skilled…

Many trades will be much more protected against AI gains as well

Re: More students are turning away from college and toward apprenticeships

#12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

With there being a huge shortage in trades and other roles where they'll provide an apprenticeship, versus credential inflation and jobs requiring a bachelor's just for entry level positions, it makes sense to go where you're valued as a worker and be catered to instead of having your originated student loans extracted from you for simply a chance at a white collar job. https://www.newsweek.com/forget-college-skilled…

Many trades will be much more protected against AI gains as well

Indeed! LLMs ain't gonna be performing electrical, plumbing, earthwork, welding, or carpentry anytime soon. If anything, its going to flush out the bullshit jobs while the economy is in a position to reward those performing higher value work.

Re: More students are turning away from college and toward apprenticeships

#13
post #5

As someone who racked up nearly $80K in debt going to art school, I think they're making the right choice (mostly). In some cases it really makes sense to go to college, but it's a terrible model for many skills.

Not to be rude or unsypathetic, but did you think that spending $80K was going to turn you into an artist?

[deleted]

Re: More students are turning away from college and toward apprenticeships

#14
post #5

As someone who racked up nearly $80K in debt going to art school, I think they're making the right choice (mostly). In some cases it really makes sense to go to college, but it's a terrible model for many skills.

Not to be rude or unsypathetic, but did you think that spending $80K was going to turn you into an artist?

Just because the person did not have a successful art career doesn't mean they aren't and artist and didn't become a better one.

Re: More students are turning away from college and toward apprenticeships

#18
people learning trades under an apprenticeship can start earning real money at 19

which means they can make other adult decisions not long after

they're not only out-earning many college graduates, they are getting four+ years of earning and investing

Re: More students are turning away from college and toward apprenticeships

#19
post #8

As someone who racked up nearly $80K in debt going to art school, I think they're making the right choice (mostly). In some cases it really makes sense to go to college, but it's a terrible model for many skills.

Did you have fun though? Because imho, that’s part of the point.

Maybe so, but then you have the un-fun of being $80K in debt and trying to pay it back on jobs you can get with an arts degree.

Maybe there's more efficient ways of having fun.

Re: More students are turning away from college and toward apprenticeships

#20
post #8

As someone who racked up nearly $80K in debt going to art school, I think they're making the right choice (mostly). In some cases it really makes sense to go to college, but it's a terrible model for many skills.

Did you have fun though? Because imho, that’s part of the point.

The point is to get an education that can be used to get into more valuable areas of employment. $80k is a lot to spend on fun when fun can be found for free
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